Recognizing the Life of Matthew J. McCarthy

Floor Speech

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Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the outstanding life and legacy of Matthew J. McCarthy, age 35, who passed away far too soon on Friday, August 13, 2021. A talented and respected trumpet player, composer, arranger, and educator, Matt touched the lives of countless individuals and left a lasting impression on the central Florida music community.

Matt was a professional trumpet player, specializing in modern and improvised music. He had experience playing all styles of music, including jazz, big band, orchestral, chamber music, rock, ska, pop, commercial, salsa, and more. He worked with musicians and performance groups that included the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Sam Rivers RivBea Orchestra, Cirque Du Soleil's La Nouba, Junkierush, the Outer Toons, the Supervillans, Mad Sexual Genius, the Orlando Jazz Orchestra, the Harry James Orchestra, various bands of Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, the Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra, and countless other local groups and celebrities. Matt also spent a lot of time performing with the one and only Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, playing lead trumpet. It was with this group, he toured all over the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and on countless international cruises.

A prolific composer and arranger, specializing in custom arrangements and charts, Matt had experience in transcription, copywork, and orchestration for groups of all sizes. His library included hundreds of arrangements for jazz chamber groups, big bands, large orchestras, latin ensembles, and original compositions for a variety of groups. Frequently premiering new works, his arrangements became highly sought after, especially for competitive marching bands.

Matt began his career in music at the University of Central Florida, where he studied trumpet, composition, and jazz studies, graduating with a dual-specialty Bachelor of Music degree in 2007. During that time, he began working as a freelance trumpet player and arranger. This eventually led to a long career with the bands of Walt Disney World. Additionally, Matt started subbing in the trumpet section for the Sam Rivers RivBea Orchestra, which began a life-long interest in experimental and avant-garde music.

Matt furthered his musical career in 2013 by attending graduate school at the University of South Florida, where he graduated with a Master of Music in jazz composition in 2015. There he studied with Chuck Owen and Jack Wilkins. During his tenure at USF, Matt performed as lead trumpet player for Jazz Ensemble I, served as director of Jazz Ensemble II, and taught various courses in the Jazz Studies Department. Matt frequently appeared with the USF Jazz Faculty Ensemble and toured Italy with the USF Jazztet in the summer of 2015, performing at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy. While studying composition, Matt was awarded the Owen Prize for Jazz Composition for his tune. ``Hans the Hunter.''

Matt McCarthy leaves behind a legacy of kindness, imagination, and musical excellence. Matt's positive and creative outlook on life touched the lives of so many and made our community a better place. I am saddened by the loss of such a valuable member of the community and extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

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